What does construct validity refer to in psychological measurement?

Construct validity refers to the extent to which a test accurately measures the theoretical construct or variable it claims to measure. This means that when a test is said to have high construct validity, it effectively captures the underlying traits or concepts that it is intended to assess. This encompasses the idea that if the test is designed to measure a particular psychological construct (like intelligence, anxiety, or personality traits), then its results should accurately reflect that construct compared to other measures or observations.

In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of measurement. While replicating test results across different populations relates to external validity, reliability pertains to the consistency of test scores over time. Predictive validity examines how well a test can forecast future outcomes based on its results. Although these concepts are important in assessment and testing, they do not precisely capture the essence of construct validity, which is specifically concerned with the accurate representation of intended constructs within the test.